Burnaby Mountain Eastside

Burnaby Mountain Eastside is one of those loops that looks mellow on paper but still wakes up your legs. This 5 km loop on the Coquitlam side of Burnaby Mountain climbs about 246 m to around 324 m, and most people finish it in about 1 hour 45 minutes. It’s officially rated easy, but expect a bit more effort than a casual city stroll, especially on that first third.

The route links popular trails like Nicole’s, Mel’s, Pipeline, and the historic North Road, often called BC’s oldest road. You’ll spend most of your time in shaded second-growth forest with ferns, bleeding hearts in spring, and trailing blackberries along the edges, plus a few open stretches under power lines that can feel hot and dusty in summer. There aren’t big viewpoints, but it’s a solid green escape with a rolling mix of downhill, flat, and uphill that leaves you feeling like you actually did something.

Recent hikers mention the first section being steeper and the signage a bit confusing, so download a map and be ready to double-check junctions. Trails are shared with mountain bikers, including some fast descents, so keep your ears open and step aside on the narrow bits. After rain, the Burnaby Mountain Eastside loop gets muddy and slick, while dry days can be hot in the exposed areas, so bring good shoes and plenty of water. There’s free two-hour parking near the roundabout and a clean outhouse along the way, and locals hike it year-round, with cooler shoulder seasons offering the most comfortable conditions.